newbobooks Chapter 1366 Tear Mole
Chapter 1366 Tear Mole
Zhan Miao's voice was firm: "Mother, who else could it be but her? I remember it clearly, she has a tiny beauty mark under her eye!"
Lin Yiwan frowned and pondered, "Yes, Rong Zhiyu was born in Jiangnan, so she has a slight Jiangnan accent."
The servant was completely bewildered, but dared not ask any more questions. He just kept kowtowing and pleading, "Madam, please spare my life! I really didn't know anything about her. I was just doing my job for money. Please, Madam, spare my dog's life!"
Lin Yiwan snapped out of her daze, her gaze returning to the servant, her chill intensifying: "Did that woman tell you anything else?"
The servant shook his head with a mournful face: "No, she only instructed me to complete the task, and said nothing else!"
Lin Yiwan snorted coldly and waved her hand, saying, "Lock him up and keep a close watch on him. Don't let him die; he'll still be useful."
The guard responded and dragged the limp servant toward the prison cell.
The firelight in the torture chamber still flickered. Lin Yiwan looked at the empty torture bench with a furrowed brow.
Rong Zhiyu is indeed persistent; she has set her sights on Zhan Miao. Is this a provocation against the Zhan Yi Marquis's mansion?
Zhan Miao asked worriedly, "Mother, should we tell my eldest brother about Rong Zhiyu framing me?"
Lin Yiwan shook her head: "No, your brother is working hard right now. Don't let this woman disturb his mind. I'll secretly send people to track her down. As long as she's still in the capital, she'll definitely leave a trace!"
Zhan Miao nodded obediently: "Okay, I'll keep it a secret from my older brother!"
Lin Yiwan couldn't find Rong Zhiyu's whereabouts, and before she knew it, it was New Year's Eve.
The Marquis of Zhanyi's mansion was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers. Red silk was wrapped around the pillars of the corridor. Servants climbed ladders to hang lanterns. The sound of footsteps and laughter mingled together, easing the tense atmosphere of the past few days.
Zhan Miao and Zhan Mu changed into newly made clothes. Zhan Miao wore a pomegranate red jacket and skirt, and her hair was styled into two buns, adorned with two small hairpins inlaid with red gold and agate. She looked charming and lovely.
Zhan Mu, dressed in a crimson brocade robe with a jade pendant at his waist, was handsome and upright. The two followed Lin Yiwan to the front yard side by side, where they saw their father, Zhan Yan, holding a brush and writing Spring Festival couplets. The fragrance of ink mixed with the fresh scent of pine branches filled the air.
"Father!" the two called out in unison.
Zhan Yan put down his writing brush, turned to look at his two children, and his smile was so gentle it was almost overflowing: "Come here, take a look at the Spring Festival couplets your father wrote, don't you think?"
Zhan Miao and Zhan Mu leaned closer and saw that the red paper read, "May Heaven add years to your life and may spring fill the universe and may blessings fill your home." The handwriting was strong and powerful, and the two praised in unison, "Father, you wrote so well!"
Zhan Yan laughed heartily, picked up a "Fu" character and handed it to Zhan Mu: "Mu'er, stick this on the main hall door." He then picked up another one and handed it to Zhan Miao: "Miao'er, stick this on your windowsill."
The two accepted the "Fu" character, smiled at each other, and turned to get busy. The courtyard was warm and cozy, filled with the joy of family reunion.
The New Year's Eve feast was extremely lavish, with a table piled high with chicken, duck, fish, meat, fruits, and snacks.
Zhan Yan sat in the main seat, with Lin Yiwan beside him. Zhan Miao and Zhan Mu sat opposite him, chatting about the interesting things that had happened recently. They would occasionally bicker over a joke, which made everyone at the table laugh.
Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the courtyard, breaking the warmth of the moment.
A servant stumbled in, his face pale and his voice trembling: "My lord, my lady, something terrible has happened! An urgent message has arrived from Medicine Valley, the old physician..."
Lin Yiwan's heart skipped a beat, and she abruptly stood up: "What's wrong with Grandfather?"
Since joining the Medicine Valley, Physician Lin has rarely gone out. Even during festivals, he only sends his disciples to deliver some medicinal herbs, and there has never been a problem.
The servant, panting heavily, was almost in tears: "The old doctor has disappeared! The disciples of Medicine Valley said that they saw the old doctor tending to the rare herbs in the herb garden yesterday evening, but he disappeared this morning. Medicine Valley has searched everywhere, but they couldn't find any trace of him. They only found an overturned oil lamp in his study, along with some signs of a struggle."
"what?"
Lin Yiwan felt a buzzing in her head, her vision went black, and she almost collapsed to the ground.
Zhan Yan reacted quickly, catching her and saying in a deep voice, "Don't rush, calm down first."
Lin Yiwan composed herself, tears welling in her eyes: "My maternal grandfather was devoted to medicine and never argued with anyone. Medicine Valley was isolated from the world, how could he have met with such an accident?"
Zhan Yan's expression was solemn, and he said in a deep voice, "The Medicine Valley has a lot of rare medicinal herbs, especially a hundred-year-old snow lotus, which can bring the dead back to life and heal the wounded. I'm afraid someone is coveting these treasures, which is why they made a move against my grandfather."
The festive atmosphere of the New Year's Eve banquet had vanished, and the room was silent except for the howling of the cold wind outside the window.
Zhan Miao and Zhan Mu exchanged a glance, their smiles fading completely. Zhan Mu clenched his fists and said in a deep voice, "Father, Mother, we also want to go to Medicine Valley to help find Grandfather."
Zhan Miao nodded in agreement, her eyes resolute: "Yes, Mother, we've grown up and can help you now."
Lin Yiwan looked at her two children and felt a warmth in her heart, but still shook her head: "The Marquis's mansion needs someone to guard it. You staying at home is the biggest help you can give your mother."
As soon as he finished speaking, his uncle Lin Ran, who had braved the wind and snow, strode into the warm pavilion.
He asked in a hoarse voice, "Wanwan, have you heard? Your maternal grandfather has disappeared in Medicine Valley!"
Lin Yiwan said softly, "Yes, we'll set off for Medicine Valley immediately, but we'll keep this news a secret from Mother for now, otherwise she'll worry!"
Lin Ran nodded emphatically: "That's what I was thinking too. I'll go back and pack my bags first, and we'll leave the capital now!"
Zhan Yan knew Lin Yiwan's temperament; once she made a decision, she would never change it. He could only instruct her, "Be careful on your journey. I have already prepared fast horses and assigned twenty elite guards to accompany you. When you arrive at Medicine Valley, remember not to be reckless. If you encounter any problems that you cannot solve, immediately send someone to inform me."
Lin Yiwan's eyes reddened slightly, and she replied in a hoarse voice, "I understand!"
She didn't have time to say much to her two children. She only hurriedly told Zhan Mu and Zhan Miao to take good care of the Marquis's residence before she and Lin Ran, along with their guards, rode out of the residence overnight.
The night on New Year's Eve was as dark as spilled ink, and the cold wind swirled snowflakes that stung my face.
The horses' hooves crunched through the snow on the road, making a "crunch crunch" sound.
Lin Yiwan sat on the horse with her back straight. The cold wind blew into her collar, but she was completely unaware. Her mind was filled with her grandfather's gentle face.
Her maternal grandfather treated her very well from a young age. She was frail as a child, and it was her grandfather who personally took care of her so that she could grow up safely.
Later, she married into the Marquis's family, and her maternal grandfather often sent her precious medicinal herbs, urging her to take care of her health. Now that her maternal grandfather has disappeared, she is determined to find him no matter what.